State of Origin 2022: Blues star Nathan Cleary loses Game 3 boots in game of scissors, paper, rock

Nathan Cleary will handover his State of Origin boots to an 11-year-old fan after Max Green baited the Blues superstar into a bet.

Little Max Green has achieved what the Maroons are losing sleep over.

He’s beaten champion NSW halfback Nathan Cleary.

In a piece of competitive ingenuity with the ultimate reward, the 11-year-old has taken down Cleary in a challenge of scissors, paper, rock.

The prize? Cleary’s boots from Wednesday night’s series decider against Queensland.

WATCH NATHAN CLEARY LOSES HIS ORIGIN BOOTS IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Attending Blues training at Kingscliff on Saturday, where the Blues are based ahead of the State of Origin decider, Max and his mother Brooke came armed with a piece of cardboard and confidence.

Written in thick blue marker across the strip of torn cardboard, Max held his sign towards the Blues players at the end of their training run, “SCISSOR PAPER ROCK FOR YOUR BOOTS!”

Max Green swept Nathan Cleary in a game of scissors, paper, rock to win the Blues star’s Origin boots. Picture: NSWRL

How Max Green baited Cleary into the bet. Picture: NSWRL

A Penrith fan despite calling Palm Beach on the Gold Coast home, Max told NSWRL chief commercial officer Jodie Cross that Cleary was his favourite player.

Never one to walk away from a challenge, Cleary emerged for the best of three showdown.

“I saw Nathan coming over,” Max said.

“I was nervous, but I knew I’d win.

“Nathan said he’d sign his boots for me and send them to me.

“I’m hoping he kicks every goal with those boots.

“I think the Blues will by eight points.’’

For the record, Max beat Cleary 2-0 nil.

‘Science’ behind Burton’s bomb attack

Matt Burton has broken down in detail the secret ingredients he needs to perfect the biggest bomb rugby league has ever seen.

Burton’s fascinating insight has been validated by the shock and awe from the greatest kickers of the modern game, including Immortal Andrew Johns, NSW Origin halfback Nathan Cleary and former Dally M winner Greg Alexander.

Burton, the NSW State of Origin centre and Bulldogs playmaker, has revealed how he intends to hail Queensland with an array of impossible kicks on Wednesday night.

“It’s so much fun. It will be on again. I love putting them up and testing the opposition,’’ Burton said. “The first one I hit in game two of Origin is the sweetest bomb I’ve hit in a long while. It was good to get that off.

“It gave me the confidence that I could do it at this level.”

Matt Burton will unleash more of his big bombs against the Maroons in Origin III. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

POSITION OF THE BALL

To exact the most amount of contact with the ball, Burton says the delivery of the Steeden from Blues hookers Api Koroisau and Damien Cook is crucial.

He needs rapid-fire service of the ball in his hands, as he must grip and hold the ball a certain way before attempting what is referred to as a ‘torpedo bomb’.

“The main thing I need is the right connection with the ball, just to get the power on it,” Burton said.

“The way I hold it is a bit different to how other people hold the ball for torpedoes.

“I just try and hold it more upright and try and get under it.

“How I hold the ball and where I hit it is key. That’s the main thing.

“You can just feel it.”

Matt Burton gets plenty of power behind his kicks. Picture: NRL Photos

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

Johns produced a wizardry of kicks when he played.

He would watch videos of Ricky Stuart, a pioneer of the bomb in the 1990s, to try before perfecting his own style.

The champion halfback says he can’t stress how challenging it is to produce what Burton is doing over and again.

“It’s all about angles and perfect timing,’’ Johns said.

“You hold the ball and tilt it, 10 to 15 degrees, which opens up the sweet spot.

“When you do a torpedo bomb, it’s tilted up. But to do it, you’ve got to hit the ball on the outside of your foot.

“So to master them and hit them consistently all the time, it takes so much practice.”

Nathan Cleary has the best array of kicks in the NRL but even he is in awe of Burton’s bombs.

ERROR AND RISK

Cleary boasts the best array of kicks — including his own frightening bomb — in the NRL.

He says Burton‘s delivery is extraordinary in it’s precision given the ease of which the bomb can go wrong.

“It’s easiest the biggest kick I’ve seen,’’ Cleary said.

“A lot of it comes down to technique, but he’s obviously got this gifted talent of the power and the timing and the strike, it’s quite incredible how far he can kick it.

“It takes a lot of work.

“Especially to do it on the biggest stage. It’s probably a kick that’s riskier than just the end-over-end bomb, but he’s nailing them.’’

Alexander, a superb kicker when he played for Penrith, NSW and Australia added: “There’s not a huge amount of room for error.’’

Matt Burton launched a massive bomb against the Maroons in Perth.

Burton’s monstrous kick went out of the frame it was that high at Optus Stadium.

Burton’s kick dipped away from Maroons winger Murray Tualagi.

Tualagi fumbled the kick when it finally came down.

BODY BENEFITS

Burton has always been tall for his age.

Standing at 1.9 metres, his height gives him an advantage that is only accentuated by his long hamstrings which help slingshot his left-foot kick.

“I started them at Dubbo when I was a kid and I just kept doing them each season as I got older,” Burton said.

“I arrived at Penrith when I was 18 and it was there that I was able to really start try them against quality opposition.”

Alexander says Burton’s physical attributes are key.

“Matt’s the biggest bomb I’ve ever seen,’’ Alexander said.

“His six-foot-three size, with long legs and great hand-eye coordination, are key.

“You have to have those ingredients and timing to hit the ball at the right spot, at this level.”

Matt Burton’s bombs are part of his playing arsenal. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

NERVOUS MAROONS

Johns is in no doubt that such is the height of which Burton can send his bombs, Queensland’s two wingers Murray Taulagi and Selwyn Cobbo and fullback Kalyn Ponga are confused mentally on how to defuse them.

“He’s inside the heads of the back three of Queensland now,’’ Johns said. “No one would’ve got a hand on that one he put up over Taulagi in game two.’’

Alexander said it‘s the extra height that Burton achieves that adds to the cold sweats of the Queenslanders.

“He just puts it that five or six metres higher than everyone else, which gives it more room to move in the air on the way back down - and that’s what every bomb kicker wants,’’ Alexander said.

“It’s the height that creates the drift in the ball that is a nightmare for the catcher.’’

Even Cleary, while out on the field, is in awe.

“The one he did in game two, I was in the kick chase and it was hard for me to follow it because it was that damn high,” Cleary said. “I’m glad I’m not trying to catch them.’’